Article Index

Everyone had such fun with our last roundtable review, we thought that to fill the time during hiatus, we'd do another one! Only this time, let's go back and review an old episode. The oldest episode in fact. After ten years now, will the pilot look any different to the WFB writers? Does it still stand up or has the show succeeded in spite of it? Read on as Elle, Elle2, Metamorphic Rocks, and Percysowner take a trip down memory lane...

1) What is your favorite scene from the Pilot?

Elle - This is a tricky one - for me it's a tie between the beginning silhouette moments between Sam and Dean in Sam's apartment and the very end shot from the trunk perspective, "We've got work to do." Both classic moments in the show, highlight the brothers and the artistry of the filming in the show not to mention some of the darker tones, the emotions and interplay between the boys that the series intends to adopt, and will do very successfully throughout it's life.

Metamorphic Rocks - It's difficult to choose, since there are so many good scenes in the pilot. I did manage to narrow it down to two: First, the "22 years ago, Lawrence Kansas" sequence is very well done and crucial to the essence of Supernatural. It sets up the mythology that will be woven throughout the whole series. It's also one of only two times that we'll see the whole family together (The other being "The Song Remains the Same" in Season 5). In short, that scene started it all.

Second, and just as important, is the scene where Dean comes charging into Sam's home and life (literally and figuratively) and the two wrestle and fight. This is the first time we see Sam and Dean together as played by Jared and Jensen, and their great chemistry is noticeable immediately. That scene also perfectly sets up the tension and dynamics between these two brothers that we'll see played out in many seasons to come.

Percysowner - I like when Sam realizes that the Woman in White is afraid to go home, so he takes her into the house. It showed Sam being smart and thinking like a good hunter.

Elle2 - I love the exposition scene with Sam and Dean walking down the stairs at his apartment building. It’s all right there: their history, (We were raised like warriors.); their differences in opinion: Sam: He gave me a .45. I was nine years old. He should have told me not to be afraid. Dean: Of course you should be afraid. You know what’s out there; the fact that Mary wouldn’t have wanted this (life) for them – we don’t learn that until four seasons later…still; as well as how skilled/knowledgeable they both are with Dean’s ability to strip out the recording to reveal the hidden message underneath, Sam’s immediate recognition of EVP. Plus the kicker part is this: Sam did not want to go. He tried to convince Dean to go without him, and then, when Dean revealed he couldn’t do it alone, and Sam staunchly defended saying: Yes, you can; Dean revealed the reality…he didn’t want to (do it alone). At that moment of honesty, Sam relented, and the road trip began.

Comments

Aw I love the pilot. Sure it's a teeny weeny bit clunky in places but the guys sell it. The entire heart of the show is right there. And ACTUAL horror (ah the good old days)! Scary girl is scary, creepy branch shadow moving impossibly across the side of the house, the two principle women in the boys' lives to that point both killed so awfully. Revenge now required by the brothers - Dean for his mother and Sam for the mother he never had the chance to know or be nurtured by, and for the woman he loved *cries*. The sheer cuteness of the brothers in the first scene they ever shot together (y'all know which one :) ). The fight on the bridge! Someone should do a retrospective of 'important brother moments on bridges' I believe there are a few. If you include 'important brother moments beside water' there is a whole thesis to be written.

I love the escape from the police of half of the Hardy boys due to the quick thinking of the other half, and the later rescue of said other half by couple of devious (and illegal) phone-calls. Actually if they broke phones as often back then as they do now the show might have stopped right there.

The lighting and sets were great, the music was great, the atmosphere was great. The guest-stars were great - hey there's Duane Barry!

I absolutely love the pilot. It wasn't my 1st introduction to the brothers. I had seen a episode from season 2 that caught my interest while channel surfing. I thought it was pretty awesome and went out and bought the S1 DVD and sat all weekend long catching up. The pilot has a special place in my heart because it was the birth of an incredible TV show and introduction to two wonderful actors that I love more each year. From the dark grittiness of the lighting to the great music, coupled with an exciting, surprising story I was instantly hooked. The chemistry of Jared and Jensen just jumped off the screen. I wondered for years what Mary meant by "it's you" and later by her "I'm sorry Sammy" and I am still impressed that it was all explained years later. Sam and Dean look so very young and fresh faced back then.

I very much enjoy these Crew Reviews. Good to see Percysowner included this time. Thanks Nate! BTW where are your thoughts?

I really enjoy these WFB Crew Reviews and am glad you've continued them. Nate - why didn't you chime in with your thoughts? Logged on to the WFB site this morning and it's nice to get away from the Sam vs. Dean wars taking place in the 10.12 About a Boy synopsis article. I thought the pilot episode did a great job of setting up the series. There were a couple of rough patches - the exposition scene on the stairs was a little clunky, but then again, they had a lot of ground to cover in a short scene. And, at the end, it never made sense why Dean came back to Sam and Jess' apartment, but I recall later seeing a deleted scene on DVD which explained it; not sure why they deleted that but, again, a lot of ground to cover in that episode.

The one scene that set things apart, at least for me, was the scene of the brothers researching the case, the way Sam pushed Dean out of the way to take over at the PC. It was a very brotherly thing to do, even for brothers in their 20's, and wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things. But you could see that the actors "clicked", and that attention to small details stood out, at least to me.

"What one thing introduced in the Pilot do you wish we had more of these days, (i.e. rock-n-roll, bitch/jerk, urban legends, seeing them scam for cash, be it poker or pool)?"

Haha! ALL of the above! Classic rock for a scene, as in "Renegade" and "Don't Fear the Reaper". The brotherly teasing, as when Dean is covered in smelly muck and Sam says"You smell like a toilet!" LOL.

Would love to see them scamming for cash as it seems there is no need to do since they found the dragons' cache of gold. They could show them pawning off bits and pieces of it so we knowthat is how they are surviving. It was a huge pile and gold is extremely valuable! Always longed to watch Dean hustling pool with some tough guys who would probably want to take his head off later. We did see Sam doing a great job hustle with the poker Witch! Loved that! ALMOST got one of Sammy hustling pool in "I Know What You Did Last Summer" but it was cut way too short when Ruby showed up.

And more urban legends please. Am really tired of dick angels in particular, none have been interesting since Zachariah (great actor). Metatron anybody? And some more disguises than just FBI. Used to be different in almost every episode.

Loved the pilot! Still love it every time! (The boys really WERE boys back then, weren't they? So damn cute!):o:p:p;););)